Where can I download or view a "Hell House" script, as used by Christian churches to warn teens of the evils of abortion, homosexuality, etc? (These used to be sold as kits, but I can't seem to find where to order one.) A scene by scene breakdown would also be useful... Thanks in advance, sinners!
posted by Unsomnambulist
on Jun 30, 2016 -
4 answers

I am pastor of a church that does many weddings each year. For years, we've provided couples a CD with 20 brief samples of classical/sacred music recorded by our church organist. This allows the couple to easily select music for every part of their ceremony, but I think it might be easier and cheaper to just post these online. Can you guide me in posting 20 or so samples of 1 minute or less on our website so we avoid the cost of copying CDs? [more inside]
posted by rdauphin
on Apr 27, 2016 -
6 answers

I'm the Churchwarden (basically, lay person responsible for physical plant) for an Episcopal congregation in inner-city Chicago. I need to replace a door. For this, I need the help of the hivemind. [more inside]
posted by tivalasvegas
on Dec 1, 2015 -
9 answers

I am on the membership committee of my church, and once a week we get a report, complete with full names/emails if provided, of visitors who've signed in. Often, this make them easy to find on Facebook. Sometimes they share mutual friends with me or other members on the committee. Lots of other committees get that email also. My question is: would you find it creepy if someone from a church you visited sent you a FB friend request afterwards? [more inside]
posted by emjaybee
on Sep 21, 2015 -
26 answers

In the greater NYC area, when having a child baptized in a small private Catholic ceremony, is it normal/accepted/expected to invite the nun and the priest participating to a restaurant lunch after the service?
Also in addition to the offering for the baptism, should the parents give an additional, uh, tip? To the priest and nun since they are living off a small stipend.
posted by bilabial
on Aug 17, 2015 -
7 answers

We donated a service provided by a third party (i.e. "not us") to a deduction-qualified church. The service has a clearly established price of $150. We didn't pay for the service, because the right to the service was given to us in compensation for the provider botching another instance of the service. Can we claim a deduction on our US federal taxes for the normal price of the service? [more inside]
posted by NortonDC
on Apr 11, 2015 -
5 answers

I'm trying to identify a church in central Utrecht that is roughly 700 years old; is NOT especially tall or ornate; and has (or had as of the late 90s) a small inner courtyard with a simple, spare garden built around a little round pond or raised round pool. Any ideas re. which this is or where I could look for clues? I've browsed lots of google images but haven't recognized it that way.
posted by kalapierson
on Jan 20, 2015 -
8 answers

My mom has been attending a new church whose congregants regularly fret over what they call "The Black Moon." The talk amongst the folks there (though not--as far as I know--from the pulpit itself) is that the Bible predicts a stock market crash in October of next year. What in the holy hell are they talking about? And, on a scale of one to ten, exactly how bananas are these people? [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown
on Nov 28, 2014 -
21 answers

My wife and I are relocating to Tricities, Washington, for a new job at Pacific Northwest National Lab. Our Christian faith is really important to us and we're looking for recommendations for culturally diverse, Spirit-led churches. We're coming from a smaller church, so I think we'd prefer something along the same lines, and we'd like to find opportunities to serve. Does anyone have recommendations for the area? Thanks!
posted by Aanidaani
on Aug 10, 2014 -
1 answer

I suspect this is a huge question with more than one answer, but…
It has been decades since I read a book (article?) that laid out a theory of (let’s call them) epochs in civilization where the predominant force governing people’s lives were/are church, then state, then corporations. [more inside]
posted by Short Attention Sp
on Jul 13, 2014 -
7 answers

I'm not religious, but would like to know whether the enforcement of a tax on income by the church in some countries - normally around 1% - is consistent with the bible.
posted by devnull
on Jun 4, 2014 -
14 answers

I got married last year (!). My husband and I are both queer, and both have a history of same-sex relationships before we met one another. This hasn't caused any problems in our own relationship, but it’s causing some unexpected confusion at our LGBT-friendly church. [more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Apr 12, 2014 -
34 answers

I am part of a group that regularly gets together to cook and serve meals at a soup kitchen. Our amazing group leader of many years recently passed away very, very unexpectedly, and we have been struggling somewhat in his absence -- he always just kept everything in his head: set menus, what to buy and how much, where to get the best price on stuff, etc. Can you help us put everything back together? [more inside]
posted by divined by radio
on Nov 14, 2013 -
18 answers

I am applying for disability and just received mail that informed be that I would have to have a mental and physical exam. I understand that this is the usual procedure. What I am not happy about is that my "mental exam" is taking place in a mega church. [more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Oct 20, 2013 -
11 answers

I came across a news article that revealed that someone I used to be acquainted with was convicted for production and distribution of child pornography. He toured the churches of his denomination with a music group for many years. As a former member of that faith, with friends and family members still active, and someone who was not directly effected by what he did, is it my place to be the one let people people know about this? If so, what is an appropriate way to do that? [more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Oct 9, 2013 -
18 answers

I have a church and they have a signer for the deaf. They have asked for live closed captioning, but they do not want to have someone type it in in real-time. Is there speech recognition software good enough for live speaking, or even something that handles closed caption-style graphics?
Once I get the text, I can handle it from there with some kind of video overlay. Thanks!
posted by ostranenie
on Sep 9, 2013 -
5 answers

Is someone 'allowed' to invite themselves to the church service of an acquaintance's wedding? Technically allowed, or socially allowed? Are church services 'open'? [Snowflakey fact scenario inside.] [more inside]
posted by Capt. Renault
on Aug 7, 2013 -
53 answers

While on facebook, I saw a group photo of Catholic priests in India at St. Alphonsa's Tomb and Chapel, Bharananganam, Pala. While I am aware that it is the norm for Catholic priests in India (and some other countries considered tropical) to wear white cassocks as their street dress, and indeed, a number of the priests in the photograph were wearing them, there was something that was truly puzzling to me in spite of growing up Catholic and having attended mass and otherwise had contact with the Catholic church in two Asian countries, Japan and Thailand. In the picture of these priests gathered at this saint's tomb in southern India, there were some among them who were wearing robes or cassocks in shades of peach or puce, and light goldenrod. I have never seen priests dressed this way in any country, and I want to know if there is some special meaning to this. (For those who don't know about Catholicism, there is a lot of symbolic meaning attached to what priests and other members of the Catholic hierarchy wear, and why. There is actually a webforum devoted to people discussing what then-Pope Benedict was photographed wearing on public occasions and the philosophical and political implications of same). [more inside]
posted by bunky
on Jul 28, 2013 -
5 answers

Aside from the edited version that appears in Heartworn Highways and the much-better extended version that appears in the DVD extras and on the album, does any other recording of Steve Earle performing this phenomenal song exist? It seems hard to believe that a song this good would never have surfaced in another form at this point. I'll take anything, bootlegs, b-side, anything. I want this song, I need this song.
posted by nathancaswell
on May 30, 2013 -
1 answer

Here's what I'm wondering. I recently discovered that an old respected friend is studying to become a Dianetics Auditor. My friend had a rough patch a few years ago and ended up feeling happier after undergoing Dianetcs Auditing. Good for her, I say. All I know of the church makes it seem like a nonsensical cult-like place that takes your money, but she's happy. [more inside]
posted by kinetic
on May 16, 2013 -
41 answers

I recall reading about a beautiful church that was built in a housing development. The development went bust, so the church was sitting isolated in a field. I want to say this was in Canada? I also seem to recall that it was used in a horror film for obvious reasons. [more inside]
posted by jefficator
on Apr 10, 2013 -
6 answers

I’ve become a person of (some) faith in the past year, and my life has been better for it. But it feels lonely not to fit into either the secular or religious communities—I'm not far enough along the spectrum one way or the other. Is there any way I can meet other people in a similar place? (Sorry, a little long and snowflake-y.) [more inside]
posted by honey wheat
on Mar 4, 2013 -
15 answers

My family is nuts. The church I grew up in is nuts. My husband suffers from post-Southern Baptist stress disorder. Help us find a new (liberal) church home! [more inside]
posted by tigerjade
on Jan 7, 2013 -
28 answers

My husband was married briefly and divorced over 20 years ago. Since then, his ex-wife has remarried, divorced again and recently remarried. My husband and his ex wife have had no contact since before the divorce. She has just (out of the blue) asked if my husband was baptized (he was not). She said she would need him to fill out some paperwork acknowledging that he hasn't been baptized so her new marriage is recognized in the Catholic church. Can someone explain what my husband's baptismal status has to do with her current marriage being recognized? They are divorced, there was one child born from their marriage. Could she be trying to have their marriage annulled?? [more inside]
posted by getyourlife
on Jan 1, 2013 -
18 answers

A young woman of my acquaintance is looking for a church or possibly other religion. Preferably in or around Milwaukee, WI, but general suggestions are great too. She is looking for one that is gay-friendly, feminist, and sex-positive. What would you recommend?
posted by Slinga
on Mar 24, 2012 -
12 answers

What's the best CMS for a busy church with a bunch of committees full of non-technical people?
Are there professional website maintenance companies that deal specifically with religious organizations? [more inside]
posted by odinsdream
on Mar 3, 2012 -
11 answers

Why do churches and banks -- and only churches and banks -- name themselves "The First X" or "The First X of Y"? Especially when it's obvious they're not actually the first X ever built in Y? [more inside]
posted by Afroblanco
on Feb 9, 2012 -
16 answers

Conversations with my Father-in-law have lead him to lose his faith in God. My mother-in-law is not coping well with this and blames me. What do I do? [more inside]
posted by holdkris99
on Jan 5, 2012 -
26 answers

Why would a Catholic or Anglican choose to use a cathedral as their regular church over more geographically convenient parish churches? How would their religious and social experiences differ as a result?
posted by grouse
on Jan 3, 2012 -
34 answers

Users

About Ask MetaFilter

Ask MetaFilter is a question and answer site that covers nearly any question on earth, where members help each other solve problems. Ask MetaFilter is where thousands of life's little questions are answered.